Animal-trap and toy.



F. D. AMMEN. ANIMAL TRAP AND TOY. APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

In venior: Econ cslZ flm men Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

F. D. AMMEN.

' ANIMAL TRAP AND TOY.

APPLICATION nus!) APR 6 1917 J72 vanity.-

- city of St. Louis and State of animal is caught. In

- FRANCIS D. AMMEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ANIMAL-TRAP AND TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1917. Serial N 0. 16

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS D. AMMEN, a citizen of the nited States,

Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps and Toys, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates is intended to serve the purpose of an animal trap and a toy. The general object of the invention is to provide very simple and inexpensive means for catching a small anialive. To this end, the

may then become a toy a child. One of my objects has been to produce a trap of such a simple form that it sub,- stantially comprises two members, namely, a cage and a device separable from the cage for holding the cage open until the the embodiment of the invention described in the following specification, the weight of the animal within the cage operates .to effect the closing of the I it is desirable to make cage. For this reason,

weight. In order to the cage very light in accomplish this and at the same time to increase the amusement and interest of children the cage is preferably constructed of a light transparent sheet luloicl. This material sive, and in this regard it operates to reduce the expense of the trap and toy.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. I

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 illustrates one form of my trap, t e view being a vertical section through the trap showing it in its set condition.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the means which I may employ for holding the cage open in order to catch the animal within it, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cage of the form shown in Fig. 1 and indicating the manner in which the cage may be rolled about the floor by an animal confined within it,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but is also very inexpenresiding in the to a device whichmaterial such as celshowing another fo take,

Fig. 5 is a side'el efore to which I other prefe en the The Wall of this Patented Dec. 10, 1918'. 0,259.

rm the trap and toy may evation showing the cage 4 after the animal is caught, and indicatlng how it may roll upon the floor, and

6 is a substantially vertical section through the cage shown in rablyoperates' in such a mouseis within the cage causes a movement of the cage bodily, which movement operates automatically to close the opening of the cage.

order to accomplish this in a simple manner,

the member 2. The up opening upwardly presents 4 is preferably in the form of a per portion of this block extending abutments or side posts 6 which present substantially verengage the edge of the opening 2, when the ball is. in place.- The .tical faces 7 which member 4 is furth er provided with 'means this hinge connection includes a coil spring base provide a quantity of bait 14.

sucha way that no the side posts 6, and'furthermore the upper the right, or clock-wise,

it is evident that the the spring 12 'onto the floor which is 12 so that the lid is constantly springpressed toward its, closed position. With such a construction, .it is evident that. if the lid is open and'the cage is applied to the supporting means or block 4 (see Fig. 1) the. spring will operate to hold the cage inequilibrium, in the set condition ofa trap, on the block with the lid open.- When the cage is in this set. condition, its rear part forms an overhanging tends rearwardly beyond'the point of support of the cage on 4.. In this overhanging'portion 13,

Now when the mouse passes into his weight is exerted in the cage in the;

vicinity of the bait that is to say in the overhanging portion 13. There is'nothing to resist this downward pressure of the animals weight and consequently there is a tendency for the, cage to tilt or rotate bodily about its point of support on the base 4:. Referring to Fig. 1, the rotation would be toward about the edge 15... When this takes place, lip 9 will immediately become disengage from the edge of the lid 3,Iwhereupon the cage'will automatically close, that is to say, will snap the lid shut. When will fall a short distance indicated by the line 16. In order to prevent the ball from rolling about and becoming lost, 'I prefer to provide a small guard rail 17 which is attached to the block and which confines the ball after the mouse is. caught. I

With this embodiment of the invention, it is necessary to construct the detent means in obstruction will be offered to the closing of the lid. For this purpose, I prefer to attach the bars which form the frame 8 on the upper faces 18 of this occurs, the ball faces 18 and the frame 8 are preferably inclined in such a way that the frame and the faces 18 operate as a substantially straight of the lid.

guide, offering no obstruction to the edge As illustrated in Figs. 4: to 6, the cage is in the form of a cylinder 18, a fportion of which issevered from the body 0 the cylinlip 9 which ensides 24: between which a portion of able portion- 13 which ex the supporting means orv part of the cage forms the cage,"

.' certain tilted position.

overhanging portion of the holds the cage connects this lid with the body of the cage.

The means to cooperate with this cage to enable it to catch the animal is preferably in the form of a block 22-, the rear face of which has a socket 23 cut" into it on its upperside 'so that it presents two projectirlilg t e cylindrical wall 25 of the-cage may restat a point near the opening of the cage. The cage may be supported in this position by means of attaching means in the form of a detachpin 26 which extends horizontally through openings in the sides 24. and

-through alining openings 27 in the side'- walls 28 of the cage. The means for holding the lid'20 open is in the form of detentmeans 29 constructed as a bifurcated post extending up from the upper side of the block near the forward side thereof. The

upper end of this detent-means is bent 1n-' wardly to form a lip 30 which engages under the outer edge of the lid opposite to the hinge'21.-

; With this form of the device, the rear an overhangingpor- 31 which projectsbeyond the point of When the tion support ofthe cage on the base.

parts are placed in the relation shown in 4, the trap-is in its set condition, that is't'o say, the cage is held open and is in a d .When the animal passes into the cage his weight tilts the cage toward the right, and this movement is sufiicient to disengage the outer edge of the lid from the detent' 29, .whereup on the cage. The removable pin 26, of course,

the pin 26 can be removed and the cage can beplaced on the floor with the animal within The. cage will then roll about the-floor reasonof the movements of the animal within it child.

invention described above, the device operates in such a way and a slight tilting movement from this position by the animal withinthe cage will automatically close the lid.

In both forms of the invention, it is necessary that the spring of the hinge shallhave the spring hinge 21 d closes the lid and confines the animal within on'fltheblock, but if desired,-

thereby giving amusement'to a It is evident that in either .form oflthe that the cage is held in a position of equilibrium with the cage open,

' cage having an overhanging portion profl-h said supporting means,

whereby the weight of the .fi 'with a cage having overh base whereby-the weight of the animal in,

said overhanging portion will tilt said cage disengage-the lid from the.

' opening detent means to permit said lid to close.

' i a holder in the form 0f opening in its Wall w th so as to be moved bodily tion by the weight of th above the floor to i the animal through said opening, said holder 'therebyv n anan1mal' trap,

with

i said What I claim is: 1 i 11 an animal trap, the combination with a cage haymg'an opening, of means for said opening, said cage being constructed from said set posi- 6 animal after it enters closing y theanimal.

being constructed so as to be tilted'bodily on said base by the weight of the animal after it enters the holder, and automatic means'forclosing said opening when said cage is tilted. V In an animal trap, the combination a cage having anoverhan'ging portion will tilt said cage and permit said lid to cl a-cage having an openmgwith alid,

' or engaging said said overhanging portion to disengage the 11d from ose 5. In an animal trap,

an 7 openingwith a spring-actuated lid, of a. ing said cage and having holding said lid open, said cage having an anging portion projecting beyond, said on said base and- 6. In an animal trap, the combination with a' cage having an a spr1ng-actuated means for supporting said lid, of

its open position to perhold' porting means whereby the wei t oft e anlmal in overhanging pc on will move said cage and permit said lid to close. J

In an animal trap, the combination with cage the cage, and automatic means for said opening controlled by the said movement of the cage b In an animal trap, the combination said lid including detent lid'to-hold the; .7 same open, -said cage having anoverhanging portion projecting beyond I 'means whereby the weight 40 said supporting of the-animal in will tilt said cage 11 the detent-means the -combination.

base for supportf detent means for" cage and a cage having a curved wall with an openin therethrough, of means for supporting sai cage in a set position to permit the of the animal through said opening,

having an overhangingportion projectmg from said supporting means whereby the weight of the animal in said overhanging portion will actuated said opening, nd a base for of'th confined 1n said open to animal.

'ble of ing an animal, and having a curved wall, said cage having an opening and a closure for said opening,

olding "said closure'open and cooperating with said cage to catch the animal within the -cage, .said I .means to enable the cage to 'roll' fioor'while confining the animal. i I

n an. animal trap the combination with awcage of cylindrical form having an in t spring-actuated lid for said opening, a base for detachably holding and supportingsaid cage and having detent meansfo'r holding said lid open, said cage having an overhan ing portion projecting beyond said base whereby the weight of th cage will tilt said cage on said base and thereby disengage said lid from said detent means to permit the lid to close. 13; In an animalftrap and toy, .bination of a cage having a curved having an opening, of aspring-actuated lid upon the the combinationwith I the com- 1 cage being separable from saidhe curved wall thereof, of a entrance of a springi gss' of means for e animal in' said the com- .wall, and

for said opening, abase, and attaching means thereby disengage the lid from said detent for holding said cage on said base so that means and permit the lid to close, said at- 10 the cage may tilt on said base, said base havtaching means being removable to permit the ing detent means for holding said lid open cage to roll upon the floor while confining 5 in one of the'tilted positions of said cage, the animal.

said cage having an overhanging portion to In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set receive the animal whereby the weight of the my hand.

animal in the cage will tilt said cage and FRANCIS D. AMMEN. 

